When it comes to opting out of state testing, in Arizona the STATE has parental rights… oh my…

PHOENIX — Parents of students in public schools have no legal right to withdraw their children from statewide standardized tests, Attorney General Mark Brnovich concluded Friday.

In a formal opinion, Brnovich acknowledged that state law does permit parents to exempt their children from certain learning materials and activities they find objectionable. That even includes keeping them out of a class or lesson where the material is being used or discussed.

But Brnovich, in response to a question raised by state schools chief Diane Douglas, said standardized tests are “separate and distinct” from such materials or activities. And he said nothing in the exemption law specifically includes a right to withdraw from standardized tests.

The attorney general also rejected Douglas’ suggestion that parents gained new rights in 2010 when the Legislature passed a “Parents Bill of Rights.”

That law, he said details the obligation of local school boards to ensure they inform parents about their rights to opt out of certain assignments. It also includes the ability to refuse to have children immunized and the right to not have children taught about AIDS.

But nowhere in that law, Brnovich said, did lawmakers include testing.

http://m.azdailysun.com/news/local/attorney-general-parents-have-no-legal-right-to-withdraw-students/article_024cf7f0-2d74-5a8f-95e0-683c481d40c4.html?mobile_touch=true

Keystone Pipeline, TPP, Wall Street, big corporations – a few good reasons to support Sanders over Clinton

Missed the interview this morning… but there are several good reasons herein to support U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders​ for POTUS. I hope he can come up with the necessary delegates at the DNC Convention next summer. I really do.

Robert Reich ·from his Facebook page…Quote of the day:

On this morning’s “Meet the Press:”

Host CHUCK TODD, interviewing Bernie Sanders: “You know, you’ve always been hesitant to contrast yourself with Secretary Clinton. But you have, you make certain subtle differences by saying on some of these issues, where she now agrees with you, you welcome her over and you emphasize you’ve had these positions for a long time. Why should that matter? Why should that matter to a voter that you’ve held this position for a much longer say on TPP–”

BERNIE SANDERS: “Good question.”

TODD: “–than Secretary Clinton?”

SANDERS: “Yeah, okay. I’ll tell you why it should matter. And let me be very clear. I mean, I happen to respect and like Hillary Clinton, so I don’t get into personal attacks, you know that. But are there differences of opinion that should be discussed? Of course, there are. That’s what that election is about. To answer your question, what it’s about is at a time when so few have so much and when the big money interests have so much political power, the real most important question is, who is prepared to mobilize the American people to stand up to these very powerful and wealthy special interests? Whose track record for the last 25 years has been to say to Wall Street, “You know what? We are going to have to break up the large financial institution.”

TODD: “Well, that’s a trust issue. You’re basically saying, “You know what? I’ve been there so you can trust that I’ll never leave that fight.” With somebody else who gets there late, you think it’s perhaps a trust issue.”

SANDERS: “No, I mean, Keystone Pipeline, all right? I believe that climate change is the great global crisis that we face, environmental crisis. From day one, I opposed the Keystone Pipeline because I believe that if you’re serious about climate change, you don’t encourage the excavation and transportation of very dirty oil. That was my view from day one. TPP. I believe that our trade policies going way back when. I voted against NAFTA, CAFTA, PNT, all with China. I think they have been a disaster for the American worker. A lot of corporations that shut down here move abroad. So people will have to contrast my consistency and my willingness to stand up to Wall Street and corporations, big corporations, with the Secretary.”